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Uniontown zoning hearing board approves special exception for auto dealership

By Steve Ferris sferris@heraldstandard.Com 2 min read

The Uniontown Zoning Hearing Board on Thursday approved special exceptions for the expansion of an auto dealership in a residential district.

Board members unanimously voted to grant Bernie Kasievich, owner of Karnuts Auto Sales on Farragut Street, four special exceptions he requested in order to construct a building to expand the dealership.

Last week, Kasievich won the Democratic Party nomination for the Uniontown mayor’s office.

The exceptions were needed because the business, which predates the city’s zoning ordinance, is a nonconforming use in an area zoned for residential use.

Kasievich told the board that he plans to construct a 20-by-32-foot, metal building with a driveway to South Grant Street to house the expanded business.

The building would be built between South Grant Street and Farragut Street, where his garage, Karnuts Auto Center, and the dealership are located in separate buildings, he said.

He said asphalt will be poured around the building and the area will be landscaped.

“It’s going to look extremely nice,” Kasievich said.

Jeremy Davis, the solicitor for the Fayette County Housing Authority and the Uniontown Redevelopment Authority, objected to the special exceptions.

He said the expanded business would bring more traffic to the area creating traffic safety issues for residents living in authority-owned properties adjacent to Karnuts on Farragut Street.

Children living there walk to nearby Grant Street Park, Davis said.

Kasievich said the dealership, which specializes in classic cars, does 90 percent of its business online and creates very little traffic.

The new building will face South Grant and not Farragut, he said.

He said he has not received any complaints about his business, which has been operating in its current location for more than 30 years.

In addition, Kasievich said the board previously granted his request for a special exception to build two storage buildings on his property.

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